Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge...Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.

Pages: 374-387

Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge...Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge. Proverbs 22:17, 23:12

This morning, I continued with John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, continuing with Part 3 The Natural Act of Reading the Bible Supernaturally, chapter twenty-seven: Querying the Text About Paradoxes, Pleasures, and a Transformed Life.  Here, in this final chapter of the book, Piper gives us final encouragements about natural reading of the Bible; he urges "aggressive attentiveness", to look, look and look and to ask questions and seek answers.  He recommends arcing as a mechanism or device to structure our approach.  He then describes how we are to seek not just the "meaning" of the text in terms of the author's intent, but also the "significance" or application.  Looking for significance or application "often sheds light back on the meaning of the text, not just its significance."  This is described as perhaps "merry-go-roundish" as we need to first seek meaning but the meaning may be further illuminate by seeking significance or application.  Piper also urges us to "ask questions about the kind of emotions the author is trying to awaken....[as] everything is meant to move us.  Being moved is part of what Scripture intends.  Piper looks at Proverbs 22:17-24:22 as an example. 

Finally, as we ask questions and seek both the meaning and application of Scripture, Piper wants us to ask "am I being changed in a way that conforms to what this author intended to communicate?  Perhaps more than all the other questions we must ask as we read, this one will put us on our faces in prayer for the supernatural work of God."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God indeed and I am amazed at Your creation and that You provide it for my enjoyment and You provide Your Word which feeds me in all ways and I have been transformed by it and blessed by it - thank You Jesus!  I am blessed yet undeserving.  My sin continues, including worry, and other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your Word for me today and every day.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4

 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. v8-9

God wants us to be in action...He wants us to be obedient.  When He gives us a command we are to obey it...this means our reading and study of the Word should include application...or practice as Paul puts it.  James also says this:


Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:22-25

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your Word is perfect and I know it will never fail.  It is truth and it is intended for my good and Your glory.  Yet I often am disobedient.  Thank You for Your love Jesus despite my disobedience but please forgive me!  Help me overcome my sin and turn away from it and turn towards You!  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day....please...I need Your help.